Language is fundamentally a game of hide-and-seek

We point to things with our words. Sometimes we point to things that aren't there, sometimes we point to the wrong thing, sometimes we point to things that are only half-formed and not recognizable on their own https://twitter.com/amatthewis/status/1309294076680974336

Some things we point to are Real in their own right.

Some things... are not https://twitter.com/EggProphet/status/1310038057354227713

It's like hide-and-seek: everyone has their own way of playing. All concepts hide, some very badly, some well we have no chance of finding them. Some are willing to play, if we are willing to tease them out. Some hide by standing in plain sight. Some we imagine ourselves.

But fundamentally, language is a *game*. We play that game with others, pointing to various things, grabbing each others' hands and pointing them in other directions, pointing to unexpected places, misdirecting the fingers of others.

It's /meant/ to be playful, joyful, not taken too seriously.

And like all other games it becomes tiresome when the players forget they're playing for fun

Think about the sheer joy you feel when you learn a new aspect of a word, applying it in a context you've never thought of before.

I experienced that when I used the word "tease" above. Of course you can tease concepts!

Think also of your favourite pun. Why do those evoke such a visceral cringe? I have no idea

So, please remember: when you're using your words, don't take them too seriously. Play a game with them, you'll find mirth in that